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- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
After years of wanting to get into biking I underwent a Chinese Experiment and realised that I should really have owned a bike 20-ish years ago.
There are a number of stages to go through before I get my bike licence.
EDIT: Passed both my tests (Module 1 & 2) with no rider faults!
I'm detailing them here to help out anybody else who's taking theirs and to collect any advice from people who've already done it.
Certificate of Basic Training (CBT)
Theory Test
Module 1 - Off-Road Handling:
Module2 - On-road Test:
The Kawasaki - now gone:
EDIT: Passed both my tests (Module 1 & 2) with no rider faults!
I'm detailing them here to help out anybody else who's taking theirs and to collect any advice from people who've already done it.
Certificate of Basic Training (CBT)
To ride a motorbike in the UK you need the appropriate licence, in my case I passed my full car test waaay back in 1996 but never took a bike test. On my licence I'm therefore allowed to ride a 50cc (without L-plate) or 125cc (with L-plate) after taking a one day Certificate of Basic Training.
This involves a handling test on an off-road (flat tarmac) course. Slaloms, U-turns, controlled stops, emergency stops, preparation for turns and safety advice on preparing a motorcycle for the road.
Once the instructor is happy that you've mastered those aspects you're then accompanied on a 2-hour ride on a mixture of road types. If the instructor continues to be happy that you're safe and in-control then you'll be issued with the Certificate. If not then you're asked to try again another day - there's no "pass" or "fail", at least that's what they tell you
This certificate lasts for two years so if it expires before you've completed a full bike test you'll have to do it again. Your Theory and Module 1 certificates "attach" to your CBT... if your CBT expires then they do too!
Here's a YouTube vid of a CBT session - pretty boring, pretty inane... but something you have to do.
This involves a handling test on an off-road (flat tarmac) course. Slaloms, U-turns, controlled stops, emergency stops, preparation for turns and safety advice on preparing a motorcycle for the road.
Once the instructor is happy that you've mastered those aspects you're then accompanied on a 2-hour ride on a mixture of road types. If the instructor continues to be happy that you're safe and in-control then you'll be issued with the Certificate. If not then you're asked to try again another day - there's no "pass" or "fail", at least that's what they tell you
This certificate lasts for two years so if it expires before you've completed a full bike test you'll have to do it again. Your Theory and Module 1 certificates "attach" to your CBT... if your CBT expires then they do too!
Here's a YouTube vid of a CBT session - pretty boring, pretty inane... but something you have to do.
Theory Test
Some cynics say that this is a way for the government to farm cash. I agree. What a crock!
The test is in two parts. The first is general Highway Code knowledge, this should be easy for anybody who's been driving any length of time and I'm pleased to say I passed with nearly full marks each time.
The second part is Hazard Perception - you click when you see the hazard. Sadly I think this test is where the money farming is done, I failed the first two times... after practising a lot online I found that you can click too early. I passed very easily the third time by clicking when I saw the hazard and then clicking 5 times more in roughly the next three seconds. My instructor feels the same way about the test as he has to take one regularly to maintain his licence status. Experience is a killer on this test, if you see the hazard too soon then you don't score for the click. Crazy. Go try some free sample tests online and see what you think!
The test is in two parts. The first is general Highway Code knowledge, this should be easy for anybody who's been driving any length of time and I'm pleased to say I passed with nearly full marks each time.
The second part is Hazard Perception - you click when you see the hazard. Sadly I think this test is where the money farming is done, I failed the first two times... after practising a lot online I found that you can click too early. I passed very easily the third time by clicking when I saw the hazard and then clicking 5 times more in roughly the next three seconds. My instructor feels the same way about the test as he has to take one regularly to maintain his licence status. Experience is a killer on this test, if you see the hazard too soon then you don't score for the click. Crazy. Go try some free sample tests online and see what you think!
Module 1 - Off-Road Handling:
Although it sounds like grass-tracking the title of this test simply means that you do the test in a closed environment away from the public road. I did mine in Scunthorpe which is about as far away from public roads as you can get. Joke
The test is a combination of low-speed and medium-speed (50 km/h checked on a radar gun) manouevres. It's a beefed-up version of the CBT but with a DSA Driving Instructor observing. Every manouevre is explained to you before it begins and, with a little practice, the test shouldn't pose too many problems.
The important part is to listen when the DSADI says to you "at all times act as if you are on a public road". That translates to "observations at all times!". Any missed observation gives you a Rider Fault, five of those add up to a fail... except for a missed observation on your U-turn which is insta-fail!!!
I'm pleased to say that I passed Module 1 first time with 0 rider faults
The components of the Module 1 are
The test is a combination of low-speed and medium-speed (50 km/h checked on a radar gun) manouevres. It's a beefed-up version of the CBT but with a DSA Driving Instructor observing. Every manouevre is explained to you before it begins and, with a little practice, the test shouldn't pose too many problems.
The important part is to listen when the DSADI says to you "at all times act as if you are on a public road". That translates to "observations at all times!". Any missed observation gives you a Rider Fault, five of those add up to a fail... except for a missed observation on your U-turn which is insta-fail!!!
I'm pleased to say that I passed Module 1 first time with 0 rider faults
The components of the Module 1 are
- wheeling the motorcycle
- using the stand
- riding a slalom
- riding a figure of 8
- a slow ride
- a U-turn
- cornering and a controlled stop
- cornering and an emergency stop
- cornering and hazard avoidance
Module2 - On-road Test:
This is a simple (ha-ha) 45 minute checkride under the supervision of the DSA Driving Instructor. You're expected to observe all aspects of the Highway Code and to make progress in a sensible and appropriate manner.
What should be an easy ride will no doubt be ten times harder under the eagle eye of the DSA.I'll let you know how I get on
14th June - Passed my Mod 2 (Unrestricted) with no rider faults
What should be an easy ride will no doubt be ten times harder under the eagle eye of the DSA.
14th June - Passed my Mod 2 (Unrestricted) with no rider faults
The Kawasaki - now gone:
I've just replaced my HN-125 with a 2008 Ninja 650R (called an ER6-F in the UK) for £1500, 10,000 miles from new and pretty tidy. The insurance is lower than I expected and it costs around £85 a year in tax. I bloody love it.
It's really not that fast, Mrs. Ten, it's such a pedestrian machine!!!
EDIT: Mrs. Ten hated the pillion seat. Bye bye, Kawasaki
Yes, I know, I'd better get out there with some weedkiller
It's really not that fast, Mrs. Ten, it's such a pedestrian machine!!!
EDIT: Mrs. Ten hated the pillion seat. Bye bye, Kawasaki
Yes, I know, I'd better get out there with some weedkiller
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